


Not quite Prince Charming

by Bobo_is_tha_Bomb



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Halloween, Humor, Reader-Insert, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-08 04:35:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21229895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bobo_is_tha_Bomb/pseuds/Bobo_is_tha_Bomb
Summary: Getting your boyfriend to be your date for his sister's Halloween ball proves to be quite a challenge. Especially when his sister's bratty ways are thrown into the mix. ZechsxReader





	Not quite Prince Charming

**Author's Note:**

> Time for another Halloween themed story! I hope you’ll enjoy this one! :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Gundam Wing, its characters, or you.

**Not quite Prince Charming**

You walked into your boyfriend’s office, carrying the packed up Halloween costume in your arms. You were a hundred percent sure you had found it this time. You lifted the costume and dumped it on his desk.

He didn’t tear his eyes away from the screen when he spoke. “I’m not going to wear that.”

You groaned. “Come on, Zechs! Why do you always have to be so difficult?”

He directed a calm stare in your direction. “I’m not difficult.”

“Yes, you are!” you exclaimed with a scowl. “You didn’t like the Phantom of the Opera costume, hated Dracula, and your glare nearly burned the pirate one!”

He leaned back in his office chair and crossed his arms. “That so?”

“Yes!” You indignantly stomped your foot. “You haven’t even looked at this one!”

“Why should I?”

“Because it’s PERFECT!” you snapped.

He smirked, and that was when it dawned upon you that he was doing this on purpose. He loved it when you got all wound up about something. Your scowl deepened.

“You jerk,” you grumbled, while taking a step back from his desk. “You’re all doing this on purpose.”

He chuckled. “Now, now, -Y/N-.”

You cut him off. “Don’t _‘Now, now, -Y/N-’_ me!”

You turned around and stormed out of his office, leaving the Halloween costume on his desk. Zechs just chuckled, knowing that by the time you came home, you would be your cheerful self again. He gazed at the packed up costume for a while. With a sigh, he took it off his desk and hung it over the chair in front of it. Then he went on with his work again.

You, on the other hand, couldn’t concentrate on what you were doing. It didn’t sit well with you that Zechs was being stubborn as a freaking mule over a Halloween costume. You sighed deeply and leaned forward, pressing your cheek against the surface of your desk. How could you convince him to go to Relena’s Halloween ball with you? You knew it was important for Relena that he was there. With her crazy schedule and Zechs’ missions, they rarely saw each other. The ball was in two days.

And why were you worried anyway? Relena didn’t like you. She considered you the reason that Zechs and Noin broke up, resulting in Zechs returning to Earth. It was utter bullshit as it had taken Zechs a year to get over Noin, before he noticed you, but Relena didn’t see that. She only saw Noin, supposedly heartbroken. She didn’t insult you publicly or anything, it was just that she was really cool towards you. Like a frigging ice queen.

Ugh… 

You sat up and leaned your elbow on your desk, resting your chin on your hand. You shouldn’t worry about Relena. Getting your boyfriend to be your date for the Halloween ball was way more important. You wanted to go there with him and have a good time. So, two weeks ago, after the invitation had come in, you had started searching for some matching Halloween costumes. 

It was frustrating that Zechs didn’t see the humor in the costumes you had chosen. First, you had chosen two costumes that you knew he would hate, just to poke a little fun at him. The Pirate costume had been your first serious attempt. You had thought he would make a very dashing pirate. He’d hated that costume as much as the first two. But this time, you had found something… The dress had been pretty, and the prince costume astoundingly beautiful. You could totally picture him in it. It was so him. And you wanted to see the prince he could have been, had he not declined his title. The fact that he was royalty was apparent on a daily basis. He couldn’t seem to hide his upbringing, the manners that came along with it, or the grace he had. But you had never seen him dressed in anything this fancy. 

Not that you were complaining. He did look **very** good in cargo pants and combat boots, especially if he decided to go without a shirt. You sighed again and got up. No point in letting these thoughts run wild in your mind. 

You made your way downstairs to the cafeteria, and bought yourself a sandwich and a large chocolate milkshake. You needed something to make you more cheerful. Chocolate always helped. You scanned the cafeteria for someone who wouldn’t bother to ask you questions, and your gaze landed on a certain messy haired agent. Heero Yuy, Zechs’ former ‘arch enemy’. Hmm… He would do nicely.

You casually wandered over to the table he was sitting at and gave him a friendly smile. “Mind if I join you?”

He grunted, and used his foot to push back the chair opposite him.

“Thanks.” You sat down and started on your sandwich.

“Why are you sitting here?” Heero asked you. “Did you and Zechs have a fight again?”

You glared at Heero and sipped your milkshake. “No. Why do you think so?”

Heero smirked. “Because you always come to sit with me whenever you have a fight with him.”

You choked on your milkshake. “Wha-”

Heero raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms in front of his chest, leaning back in his chair with an expectant look on his face. “Hn?”

You sighed. “Maybe you’re right.”

“Want to talk about it?”

You gave him a comical look. “Like you could solve the problem.”

“Depends on what the problem is.”

You really didn’t see Heero giving you any useful advice. He probably didn’t have a relationship (you didn’t know for sure, since what Heero did in his free time was a BIG mystery), and seemed to lack a lot of social skills. But, he had been close to Zechs in the past, when they had been enemies. And enemies tried to figure out how the other thought, and why the other did certain things. You had no doubt that Heero knew how Zechs’ mind worked, and vice versa. 

“Zechs doesn’t want to go to Relena’s Halloween ball with me,” you grumbled.

“Aah, but that’s probably because Noin is going to be there as well,” Heero said.

You blinked at him. Noin was going to be there? When had she decided on that? “What?”

“I’m guessing that you didn’t know about it?”

“No… When did she decide to attend?” you asked him.

“About a week ago,” Heero said vaguely.

“How come I didn’t know about that?”

“Probably because Zechs didn’t tell you.” Heero shrugged.

You sighed. Zechs had kept it from you, and you wondered why. He could have just said so, and you would have understood. You would have stopped going to the stores for Halloween costumes then, and you would have stopped pushing him to go with you. It saddened you to think that he wouldn’t tell you. You gazed down at your sandwich, which didn’t look appealing to you anymore. Another sigh escaped you.

“I don’t understand why he wouldn’t tell me something so important,” you said quietly.

“He didn’t tell you, because he doesn’t want to hurt you,” Heero said.

“Right,” you muttered. “How come you’re suddenly such an expert on the workings of my boyfriend’s mind?”

Heero chuckled. “It’s the only reason I can think of.”

“You’re probably right,” you said, while giving him a small smile. “Thanks, Heero.”

“You’re welcome,” he said.

You continued your lunch in silence. You thought about what Heero had told you, and decided to ask Zechs about it when you came home. His shift ended earlier than yours, so you had some time to figure out how to ‘attack’ this problem. And maybe it was time he faced Noin, or something. The thought of no longer asking him to go with you flew out of the window. 

After lunch, you made your way back to your office and got back to work. Or, at least, you tried. You couldn’t seem to concentrate on anything but the current situation. Why did Zechs keep it from you that Noin was going to be there as well? Was it to protect you, or to protect himself? Did he still feel something for Noin? You had to swallow at that possibility. 

You were terrified of loosing Zechs. The past two years with him had been wonderful, and you couldn’t think of a life without him anymore. It didn’t seem possible. 

You sighed. You were being hopeless. Zechs loved you. He had made it very clear the night before. Your cheeks heated up with the memory. He wasn’t the type to beat around the bush and lead you on if he didn’t love you. But still… Noin. As much as you tried to forget about her, you simply couldn’t. Not as long as Relena kept defending her. Not as long as… You weren’t even going to go there.

You scowled darkly. You hated this. 

“That look doesn’t suit you at all.”

You jumped at the unexpected voice coming from the doorway and looked up. Zechs was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed in front of his chest. His icy blue eyes regarded you with curiosity and a touch of concern. You swallowed and looked away, afraid he might read your fears in your eyes.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, while stepping into your office. He closed the door behind him, granting the two of you some privacy. “Are you still angry about earlier?”

“I’m not angry,” you said softly. 

He walked around your desk and stopped next to you. He leaned back against the desk and gave you a questioning look. You leaned back into your chair so you could meet his eyes and spoke up.

“Heero told me something during lunch,” you said.

A frown appeared on Zechs’ handsome face. He didn’t like it when Heero talked to Relena, or you. “Why would he talk to you?”

“Because, apparently, every time we have a fight, I seek his company,” you said with a sigh. “He doesn’t ask unwanted questions.”

“Tsk.” Zechs snorted and directed his glare at the wall.

“Don’t go and get jealous now,” you snapped at him. “You have no reason to be. But it pisses me off that you keep things from me and that I have to hear it from someone else.”

“Like what?” Zechs all but growled.

“That Noin is coming to the Halloween ball.”

He was silent for a while. 

“Is that the reason why you don’t want to go?” you asked him quietly. “Because I would have understood if you’d told me.”

“Would you?” he asked.

You sighed. “I would have understood and then I would have proceeded with persuading you to go with me. You shouldn’t hide from her.”

“I’m not hiding.”

“Then what?”

He moved away from you and around your desk again. For a moment, you feared he might leave your office and let you figure this out on your own. You stood up and planted your hands against your desk, ready to call him back. But in front of your desk he turned around again, and planted his hands against the wooden surface in the same manner you had done, and leaned towards you. He gazed into your eyes for a long time, and you wondered what he was trying to read in them. 

“Zechs…” you said softly after a while. You couldn’t stand this silence. 

A small smile tugged at his lips and one of his hands came up to cup your cheek. He leaned in for a gentle kiss that left you reeling, and a little confused. Weren’t you having a ‘fight’ with him? 

“I don’t think you would understand my reasoning if I explained it to you,” he said softly when he pulled back.

Your brow furrowed and you pouted. “Explain it to me anyway.”

He then did what he always did when he found something about you utterly amusing. He bit his lip to contain his laughter. The action drew your attention his mouth, and you caught a flash of his white teeth digging into his bottom lip. That sinfully full bottom lip. Christ… 

You whimpered when he pulled back, and your reaction wasn’t lost on him. His eyes darkened and he took your hand, pulling you around your desk, which was still separating the two of you. His arm snaked around your waist when you reached him and pulled you against him, your breasts pressing against his chest. His mouth landed on yours in a seductive kiss, while the hand that was still clasping yours slid up your arm to disappear into your hair. 

You wrapped one arm around his neck, and curled the fingers of your free hand in the fabric of his shirt. God, you loved it when he kissed you like this. A quiet moan escaped you when he teased your lips apart with his tongue. You let him deepen the kiss, let him tease you relentlessly. You’d have done anything at that moment, as long as he didn’t stop kissing you. 

“Zechs,” you pleaded quietly when he broke the kiss for some air. 

You pulled him closer for another kiss, and sighed in bliss when he responded to it. His hand slid down from your waist to squeeze your buttock and you squeaked in surprise. He pulled back from the kiss with a chuckle.

“We shouldn’t be doing this at work,” he murmured in your ear.

“You started this, you know,” you murmured back. “You think you can distract me.”

“I **know** I can distract you,” he said. 

His husky voice made you shiver, and you pressed closer to him. You gave him a wicked grin when your lower body came in contact with the bulge in his pants. 

“Now, Zechs…” you said teasingly, while pricking your finger into his chest. 

He smirked and leaned in to playfully nip your bottom lip. “Is there a problem?”

“Hmm…” You took the opportunity for another kiss and smiled against his lips. “Yes. The problem is that you’re not kissing me enough.”

His fingers ghosted along your neck as he untangled them from your hair. “I’ll make up for it tonight.”

“And you’ll explain to me,” you demanded. “Actually, you’ll explain to me first. Then you can kiss me.”

“Alright,” he agreed, albeit a bit reluctantly. 

You smiled. “Good.”

He nuzzled your cheek, before taking a step back. “I’ll see you at home.”

“Yeah,” you said, while leaning back against your desk. 

He gave you a small smile, turned around, and left your office. 

“I love you,” you murmured quietly to empty space.

-x-x-x-

When you came home after work, Zechs was stretched out on the couch in the living room, his eyes fixed on the television screen. You smiled at the sight of him, and noticed that his hair was still wet from his shower.

“Hey,” you said as you walked into the living room.

He gave you a small smile and sat up, turning off the television when he got up. “Hi.”

You made your way over to him for a kiss and smiled. “What do you want for dinner?”

He drew you closer and wrapped his arms around you. “I was thinking of ordering take-out.”

You gave him a surprised look. Zechs wasn’t the type of guy for take-out. He always complained of the food not being good, so you usually cooked together. “Oh?”

He took your hand and led you to the couch, mentioning for you to sit down. You did so, and he seated himself next to you. 

“I promised you something,” he said. “And I intend to stick to that promise.”

You gave his hand a squeeze, happy that he finally would explain why he didn’t want to go to the Halloween ball. 

“It partly has to do with Noin being there,” he admitted. “But not because I feel uncomfortable with her around. I don’t want it to be awkward for you.”

You gave him a small smile. “She doesn’t bother me.”

“But still.”

“Hmm…”

“I know Duo is hosting a Halloween party too, and he invited us,” Zechs said, while pulling you closer. “So why don’t we go there?”

“No.” You shook your head stubbornly. “You need to see Relena.”

“Do I?”

“Yes. When is the last time you saw her?” you asked him with an eyebrow raised in question.

He was silent for a while.

“Thought so,” you said.

He sighed. “I can always call Relena and ask her to have lunch with me.”

You got up from the couch and glared down on him, while crossing your arms in front of your chest. “Why do you have to be so stubborn, Zechs? I just told you I don’t care about Noin being there.”

He growled. “Well, I do.”

“You weren’t bothered by her presence at the Preventer summit three months ago! So why now?” you snapped at him.

“Didn’t I just tell you?” he snapped back, while getting up as well. “Why are you so intent on going anyway? Relena doesn’t even like you!”

You stumbled back from him, stung by his words. The hurt you felt was obviously mirrored on your face, because his expression softened immediately. But when he reached out for you, you shrank back.

“I know she doesn’t like me,” you said softly, your voice small. “But I think it’s important for you to see her.”

Tears burned in your eyes and you angrily wiped them away, before they could fall. Zechs stepped towards you.

“-Y/N-…” he said quietly.

“No!” You backed up. “I think… I think I need to be alone for a while.”

“But,” he tried to interject. 

You took a deep breath. “I’ve to put up with your sister’s dislike for me for the past two years, and I think it’s time for her to accept me. But you won’t even give me the opportunity to win her over.”

“You know that’s not true,” Zechs said. “I tried just as much as you did.”

You turned your gaze away from him, unable to look at him. He had really hurt you, and you needed some time to get over that. “I’ll sleep in the guest room tonight.”

He stared at you in stunned silence as you turned around and made your way towards the hallway. You went upstairs, not caring that you hadn’t had dinner, and grabbed a change of clothes from the bedroom. You locked yourself up in the guest room and dumped the clothes you had brought with you into a chair. The guest room had an adjoining bathroom, so there was no need for you to go out of the room. 

You collapsed onto the bed and finally gave in to the need to cry. The tears didn’t stop for a long time.

-x-x-x-

When you came downstairs the next morning, Zechs had already left for work. You felt miserable and lonely without him in the house, but you dreaded going to work. You didn’t want him to barge into your office to try and make it up. 

He had knocked on the door to the guest room during the night, but you hadn’t gone and opened it. You knew that you were being stubborn, but Zechs was stubborn too and had to know that he had hurt you. Letting him in so soon wouldn’t serve your purpose. You sighed and pulled on your jacket. You weren’t hungry, so you skipped breakfast and went straight to work.

You made a point of avoiding Zechs all morning. 

During the afternoon, however, you ran into him in the hallway. 

“Hey,” he said softly, while reaching for your hand. “Can we talk?”

“Not now,” you said, while trying to move past him. “I have a meeting in twenty minutes.”

He didn’t let go of your hand and followed you into your office. You were just about to tell him to leave you alone, when one of your co-workers popped up in the doorway.

“-Y/N-?”

“Yes?” you turned around to give him a questioning look.

“Could you take over Shelly’s shift for tonight? She just called in sick,” he said, while giving you apologetic look.

You thought for a moment, and then sighed. “Sure.”

“Thanks!” he called, while leaving your office.

“You can’t keep on avoiding me, you know,” Zechs said, while giving you a calm look.

“I know,” you said, while stepping away from him. You moved around your desk to ensure some distance. “But I try.”

He chuckled humorlessly. “I see.”

You were silent for a while. 

“I’m sorry about what I said last night,” he said suddenly, startling you slightly. 

You gave him a wide-eyed look. 

“It wasn’t my intention to hurt you,” he told you with an honest look in his eyes. 

“I know, Zechs,” you said quietly. “But you still did.”

“I was trying to protect you.”

“From what?” you shrugged your shoulders and sat down behind your desk. “Can we talk about this later? I need to get back to work.”

He sighed deeply, and then leaned over your desk to press a kiss against your forehead. The gesture was unexpected, and you could barely keep yourself from pulling back. 

“Alright,” he said finally. 

You nodded and focused your gaze on your computer screen.

Zechs quietly left your office. When he was gone, you quickly got up to close the door and had a silent cry.

You worked until late that night, and forced yourself to keep going. You were tired from all the emotional turmoil, and the stress it put on you. And yet, you didn’t want to give in. You sighed deeply when you left your office, dragging your feet over the ground in an attempt to slow your way to your car. You dreaded going home. You didn’t want to fight with Zechs anymore, but you didn’t want him to win this either. You were being hopeless. And stubborn.

You drove home on auto-pilot, your thoughts wandering back to the fight of the night before, and the conversation you had with him this afternoon. He had wanted to protect you, he had said. From what exactly? Was Relena planning something? You frowned as you turned into the driveway. Was that why Zechs didn’t want to go?

You got out of your car and made your way to the front door. The house was dark when you entered. It was already quite late and Zechs had an early morning shift the next day, so you figured he had already gone to bed. You locked the door and went upstairs, carefully opening the bedroom door. Sure enough… Zechs was already asleep. He was sleeping on his side, one hand clutching his pillow, while the other rested against yours. You tiptoed over to the closet to get a shirt to sleep in, but he immediately woke up. There was no way you could move around in the house without his ex-soldier senses picking up anything. 

“-Y/N-?” he murmured sleepily.

“Yeah, it’s me,” you said quietly. 

He stretched, and then rolled onto his back. In the dim light you could see the sheets slip down to his hips with his movements. You bit your lip. 

“Come sleep here,” he said.

You hesitated with answering him. “I…”

You stared at him for a long time, contemplating what to do. Your mind kept telling you to leave the room, but as his icy blue gaze landed on you, your heart told you another thing. With a sigh you got undressed and changed into one of Zechs’ shirts you always used to sleep in. You made your way over to the bed, not knowing what to say. But Zechs didn’t need words. He simply held up the sheets for you and you slipped under them. He pulled you closer, turning over on his side, so he lay facing you. 

You were a bit reluctant to cuddle up against him, but as his arm settled around your waist, you gave in. You snuggled into him, and sighed when he started running his fingers through your hair. 

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, before pressing a kiss against your forehead.

“I’m sorry too,” you murmured back. 

He held you close, and you struggled to stay awake a bit longer in his comforting embrace. But soon the day’s happenings took its toll on you, and you drifted off into a deep and dreamless sleep.

-x-x-x-

When you woke up the next morning, Zechs had already left for work. You had the day off, so you took your time in cleaning the house and doing grocery shopping. During the afternoon, you went upstairs and took out the two Halloween costumes you had gotten for tonight’s ball. You carefully unpacked the dress first, hanging it up to air out a little bit. The soft cream and pastel fabric was breathtaking. You had found pumps in the same pastel color that matched your dress perfectly. You studied the dress for a while, before taking out the costume you had gotten Zechs.

As you hung it up, you knew it was perfect for him. The pants were cream colored, and the jacket was made of the same cream colored fabric. It had black embroidery along the hems of the sleeves and on the front. You smiled. You knew that the jacket’s tailoring would remind him a bit of his OZ uniform, and you hoped that he would like it. You also knew that he hadn’t spared the costume a second glance after hanging it up in the closet. But maybe seeing it would change his mind.

You lovingly ran a hand over the jacket’s front. There had been a crown to go with the costume, but you had not bought it. Zechs wouldn’t need one, nor would he wear it. He’d be a Prince Charming without a crown. 

You hummed to yourself as you made your way downstairs. You took some small candles from a kitchen drawer and made your way outside to put them in the carved pumpkins you and Sally had made last week. You lit the candles, and with a satisfied smile, you wandered inside again. You prepared a bowl with candy for the kids that would go trick-or-treating that night. You would put a note on the door that they could pick up their candy at the neighbor’s place. 

You smiled as you heard a key being stuck into the lock and turned to watch your boyfriend enter the house. 

“Hey,” you said, when he closed the door behind him.

“Hi.” He shrugged out of his Preventer jacket and hung it up.

You watched as he ran a hand through his hair, before starting to make his way over to you. You gave him a small smile and reached out to take his hand. His fingers closed around yours and he pulled you towards him so he could kiss you. You sighed in bliss as his lips caressed over yours tenderly. 

“How was work?” you asked him, when he pulled back.

“Silent,” he said, while nuzzling your hair. “How was your day?”

“Boring without you,” you murmured. “What do you want for dinner? I’ll cook for you.”

He smirked. “Really?”

“Yes.” You pouted. “Why are you surprised about that?”

He chuckled. “I wonder about what I did to earn it.”

You smiled warmly. “Do I need a reason to cook for you?”

“Not necessarily,” he tugged you closer and pressed his face against your neck. “I do think I want you for dinner.”

You laughed and reached up to bury your hands in his hair. “Well, I guess I could be starter.”

He chuckled. “Good.”

He tugged on your hand and pulled you along with him into the hallway. He was quick to lift you up and carry you upstairs. You wrapped your arms around his neck and pressed your lips against his collarbone. He carried you into the bedroom, not paying any attention to the costumes you had hung up. 

Later, when you lay in his arms, he finally noticed.

“What are these doing out here?” he asked, while gazing at the costumes.

“I took them out,” you murmured against his neck. “I’m guessing you didn’t see yours yet?”

The hand that was caressing your back stilled. “I thought I told you that we wouldn’t be going to Relena’s.”

You sighed quietly. “Zechs, let’s not fight over this again.”

You felt the tension creeping into his body. You bit your lip as his hand left your back and fell limply on the mattress. You tightened your hold on him, hoping that he wouldn’t get angry at you.

“I know you miss your sister, Zechs,” you whispered, while squeezing your eyes shut. “Don’t you want to go and see her?”

He sighed. “I can visit her later this week.”

You sat up slowly and gazed down on him with a sad smile. “But you rather not visit her with me, right?”

He reached out and cupped your cheek. “I don’t want her to hurt you.”

You turned your face into his caress, pressing a kiss against the palm of his hand. “I’m tougher than you think.”

“Hmm..” he gave you a small smile. “I know that. But really.”

“I want to show her that her judgment doesn’t bother me,” you said honestly. “I want her to accept me as your girlfriend.”

Zechs sighed. “I think she never will.”

“Go to the ball with me?” you asked him softly.

He sighed again. “I don’t know…”

You gave him a pleading look. “Please?”

“I still have a report to finish,” he said quietly. 

“How about this?” you proposed with a small smile. “I go to the party and you’ll join me later.”

He gave you a skeptical look. “Will you be okay on your own?”

“Yeah,” you gave him a grin. “I know some of our colleagues will be there, so I’ll be fine.”

He was silent for a while, biting his lip as he considered your proposal. “I’ll finish that report. If I don’t make it, I want you to come home.”

You launched yourself at him with a smile and hugged him. “Yay! Thanks, Baby.” 

He chuckled and pressed a kiss against your temple. “I’m not sure how much time it will take, though.”

“That’s okay,” you reassured him. “Give me an estimated time.”

“Hmm… something around eleven.”

“I’ll be waiting on the dance floor for you,” you said with a smile. “God, that sounds sappy and romantic.”

He burst out laughing, the throaty, husky sound of it sending shivers down your spine. You slipped your leg over his hips, straddling him with a sultry smile. 

“You really have a sexy laugh,” you told him.

“Do I now?” He smirked and rested his hands on your hips, his touch possessive.

You leaned down for a kiss and nipped on his bottom lip. “Hmm…”

“You haven’t even told me what kind of costumes we have,” he said with a slight frown, as if he suddenly remembered.

“Aah.. but that’s easy. Can’t you guess?” You gave him a sweet smile.

He growled. “I’m not very patient right now, -Y/N-.”

You chuckled. “We’ll be Cinderella and Prince Charming.”

-x-x-x-

You arrived at the party around ten. You had taken a cab, because Zechs would come later, if he managed to finish his report, that is. You took the invitation to the ball from your purse and made your way to the mansion’s entrance. Relena lived in a huge mansion, almost all by herself. No matter how many times you had been there, you couldn’t feel a homey atmosphere whenever you went there. You were glad that Zechs had decided to move in with you when your relationship got serious. You couldn’t stand the idea of living in such a huge house. 

Maybe that is why Relena didn’t like you. Maybe it was the fact that you weren’t in the same social circles, and that you didn’t care for money. But then, Noin hadn’t cared about that either. But then again, she and Zechs had shared a past. You made your way to the mansion’s front door, where a line of people were waiting to be let in. You knew the party had to be in full swing already, but security checks at parties such as these were strict and thorough, so waiting in line was a normal thing. 

You patiently waited in line to get in, and smiled at the Preventer that took your invitation. He was one you knew quite well.

“Hello Wufei,” you greeted him with a smile.

The younger agent gave you a scrutinizing stare, as if he didn’t recognize you. “Oh, -Y/N-.”

“I didn’t know you would be in charge of the security here,” you said, while waiting for him to scan the guest list.

Wufei was busy going over the list, his brow furrowing into a frown. Confusion was clear in his eyes when he looked up to meet your gaze.

“Is there something wrong?” you asked him.

“You’re not on the guest list,” Wufei said.

“What? That’s impossible,” you said, just as confused as the Chinese man. “The invitation was addressed to both Zechs and me!”

“Zechs’ name is on the list, but yours isn’t,” he insisted. “I can’t let you in if you’re not on the guest list.”

“But… Zechs is coming later,” you said, dumfounded. “If he had been with me…”

“I still couldn’t have let you in. I’m sorry.”

You couldn’t believe it. Relena had played you! That little… You stopped your trail of thought there. You didn’t want to hate Zechs’ sister, but if she started acting like this… Ugh… That little bitch!

Your eyes narrowed into an angry glare. “I was invited to this party, and then she doesn’t put me on the guest list!”

Wufei raised an eyebrow. “Maybe she made a mistake. Let me go and check with my supervisor.”

You impatiently waited as Wufei left you for a moment to go and check. Another Preventer agent was doing security checks on the people that had been in line behind you. They all gave you curious stares as they passed you, and you resisted the urge to glare at them. These people couldn’t help it that your boyfriend’s sister was being a spoiled brat. 

Wufei came back, pulled you to the side, and gave you an apologetic look. “My supervisor says that I can’t let you in.”

You groaned. “I hate her! Seriously, what if Zechs had been with me? Did she really think that he would go on in without me?”

“Apparently so.” Wufei shrugged.

Your eyes lit up with a sudden idea. “Is there a side entrance I can take?”

“I just said-”

“I know what you said!” you snapped. “But the point is that Zechs promised to meet me here later tonight, and I REALLY have a thing or two to say to that spoiled little brat he calls his sister.”

Wufei smirked at your rant. “I’m guessing she doesn’t like you?”

You glared at him. “That’s an understatement.”

“I see.” Wufei tapped his chin, then continued on in a hushed tone. “In that case, there is a side entrance on the left side of the house. Heero is stationed nearby, so I’ll let him know that you’re coming in through there.”

You wanted to glomp him. “Thanks, Wufei! You’re a live saver!”

“You didn’t get this from me, nor did you see me, or Heero when you got in, understood?” he asked quietly.

You nodded. “Yeah, I know the Preventer policies on matters like these.”

“Good.” He stepped back. “Now, go.”

You hurried back to the parking lot, deciding to take a small detour to the side entrance. If people saw you walking there directly, they might stop you and question you on the way. No way you were letting that happen. It would cost Wufei and Heero their job if they were found out smuggling people in on parties with strict security measures. You disappeared into the shadows surrounding the house, and carefully crept along the wall. Sure enough, there was a side entrance to the mansion. You tried the door, and grinned when you found it was unlocked. 

You slipped inside and squeaked as you collided with a hard body. Obviously male. Dark blue eyes flashed in the darkness and you breathed a sigh of relief. It was only Heero. 

“Hi,” you whispered.

“What’s going on?” Heero asked.

“Apparently I’m a persona non grata,” you said

He gave you a dumfounded look. 

“Meaning: Relena doesn’t want me at this party.”

“Hn.”

“I should go. I can’t be seen with you,” you moved past him. “Thanks, Heero!”

You didn’t hear his quiet reply. 

You slipped into the ballroom, and made sure to avoid Relena and Noin. You didn’t doubt that they were joined at the hip, figuratively speaking of course. All too soon, however, you were intercepted by Quatre, who seemed utterly delighted to see you. You didn’t see any of the Gundam pilots that much. Being with their former enemy didn’t make you good friends, so the only ones you saw were Heero and Wufei at work. Quatre was a natural sweetheart and easy to be around, so you greeted him back.

“You look very pretty,” he complimented you.

“Thank you,” you beamed with a smile. 

You hoped that Zechs would like your dress too. He had been so engrossed in finishing his report that he had barely looked up from his laptop when you had announced that you were leaving for the party. You casually glanced around to see where Relena was, and noticed that she was on the other side of the huge ballroom. She hadn’t noticed you yet, so you turned your back to her, hoping that would buy you some extra time.

“So, how have you been doing?” you asked the blonde.

He smiled at you. “Busy, but I feel like I am making some significant progress.”

“That’s great. You were working together with Relena on that project, right?” you asked him. “I’m sorry; I don’t recall what it was.”

“We’re trying to improve the living standards in some colonies in the L2 cluster. If it’s successful we will focus on other areas as well,” Quatre smiled.

“Yes! I remember now,” you said with a grin. “I hope it will all work out for you.”

“Yes.” Quatre nodded, then smiled when he spotted Dorothy Catalonia and waved her over.

You paled. Shit. You really couldn’t use a run in with Dorothy right now. The woman was a notorious gossip and if she found out you were here, Relena would be onto you in no-time. You quickly excused yourself and wandered along the edge of the dance floor. You found the double doors leading to one of the balconies open, and decided to step out for some fresh air. The balcony gave a nice view of the drive way, so you could keep an eye out for Zechs.

You checked your watch and smile. Half an hour until Zechs arrived. You quickly went inside again to get a drink and stepped out on the balcony again. You enjoyed a glass of champagne, while watching intricately dressed people arrive. The rich and famous gave a Halloween party a whole new meaning. No very scary looking costumes here. It was all glitter and glamour. You almost giggled at the sight of a woman in a poorly fitting Cleopatra costume. Okay, glitter and glamour, with a few mishaps here and there.

You were just about to finish your champagne, when someone behind you cleared her throat. You turned around and almost dropped your glass when you saw it was Relena. She was dressed in a white ballroom gown, and crystals dangled from her hair. The term Ice Queen seemed more fitting than ever.

“Hello Relena,” you greeted her politely, deciding to try and be nice to her, despite that little stunt of hers.

“-Y/N-, I’m quite surprised to see you here,” she said, frost chilling her voice.

“Why are you surprised?” you asked her with a sweet smile, daring her to admit that she hadn’t put you onto the guest list. 

Relena fumed, but did not take your bait. “Where is Milliardo?”

You almost rolled your eyes. If there was anything Zechs hated more than you talking to Heero Yuy, it certainly was being called ‘Milliardo’. You knew he hated that name. It reminded him to much of his past, the loss of his family, and his title. The title he had declined.

“Zechs is coming later,” you said, while crossing your arms in front of your chest. “He is finishing up his report. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

Relena scoffed. “You are not going anywhere.”

“Oh?” You moved past her. “Watch me.”

“You are an unwanted guest at this party, -Y/N-,” Relena bit out icily. “I’ll call security to let you out.”

“And what if Zechs shows up and demands to know where I am?” you asked her. “I don’t think he’s going to like it when he finds out you didn’t put me on your guest list.”

Relena’s cheeks turned red with restrained fury. “He won’t be angry. He belongs with Noin and he knows it.”

“Does he now? And who are you to decide for him?” you asked her. She had found your weak spot, but you would rather die than let her know of it. “Did you really think that Zechs would have come here without me?”

Relena gave you a mocking smile. “-Y/N-, dear. Everyone knows that he will never stay with you.”

You reeled back from her in shock. How dare she say such things? But somewhere, deep in your heart, you feared that she was right. 

“You snotty little brat,” you hissed out. “I don’t have to take this from you! If it weren’t for the fact that you are my boyfriend’s sister, I would have kicked your ass!”

“Are you threatening me?” 

You gave her a sickly sweet smile. “No, of course not.”

You whirled around, the skirts of your dress swirling around your legs, and left the balcony. You checked your watch as you hurried inside, not willing to get caught by the security guards that Relena, no doubt, had sent after you. Now that you were away from her, the anger died and was replaced by sadness. It really hurt that she didn’t accept you. Didn’t she see that you loved Zechs? And of course, she had to exploit your fears. Ugh…

You were about to step onto the dance floor, when someone grabbed your wrist. You turned around to glance at the person holding your wrist, and squeaked when you found him a burly looking security guard. Shit. You had been found. 

“I’m sorry Miss, but I have to escort you out,” the security guard said. 

You didn’t reply to the guard, and nodded meekly. He let you out of the ballroom and towards the exit. You let him think that he had simply won you over, but when he relaxed just the tiniest bit, you yanked your arm free and whirled around. You lifted the skirts of your dress and raced back to the ballroom. You heard the security guard shouting for you to stop, but you ignored him and ran on. Zechs could be here any moment. Screw Relena and her bratty ways. You would at least get one dance!

When you arrived in the ballroom, you turned left, disappearing into the mass of people. You slowed your pace to a stroll, and slowly made your way along the dance floor. You ducked behind a column when you saw Relena walking your way. Noin was with her, and they seemed deep in conversation. You strained to hear what they were talking about when they came closer, trying to catch some words over the ballroom music being played by an orchestra.

“I’m sure Milliardo will love your outfit,” Relena said reassuringly to Noin.

“Do you think?” Noin sounded a bit hesitant, while looking at her costume. She was dressed as a Greek Goddess. “Are you sure he is going to be here?”

“Yes, I’m sure!” Relena said. 

They passed you and you glanced around the column. Relena took hold of Noin’s hand and pulled her to a stop. 

“Noin, I know that he still loves you,” Relena said. 

That was a big fat lie. But you weren’t about to give away that you were eavesdropping on their conversation. 

“I don’t know, Relena,” Noin said softly. “He seems pretty serious about –Y/N-.”

“-Y/N- is nothing compared to you,” Relena said.

You sighed at the sting her words caused you. Why was it so difficult? You wondered as tears started to burn in your eyes. Why did you want her to like you so much? With a sigh, you moved away from the column and continued your stroll along the dance floor. When you were a safe distance away from Relena and Noin, you turned towards the dance floor and purposefully started on your way towards the middle. You avoided dancing couples, and halted under the big chandelier that hung above the dance floor. You bit your lip and gazed towards the ballroom’s entrance, waiting for your Prince Charming to arrive. You hoped that you wouldn’t be spotted by any security guards, while you waited. You did notice that some people were giving you curious stares. You took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. It wasn’t easy with the emotions lodged in your throat. Relena had hurt you with her words.

Was that what Zechs had meant when he had said he only wanted to protect you? you wondered. You continued to wait, until a shrill, angry voice behind you broke your pondering.

“I thought I had told you that you weren’t welcome here!” Relena snapped.

You looked over your shoulder at her. “Do I look like I give a damn?”

“Why, you-” She cut herself off and glared at you. 

You gazed at the entrance of the ballroom again, and a small smile played over your lips when you noticed Zechs entering the room. 

“Security!” Relena snapped.

You didn’t wait for the next guard to reach you. You dashed forward, moving towards your boyfriend as fast as you could. From the corner of your eyes you saw Noin making her way over to Zechs as well. She was doing it at a leisure pace, so you assumed she hadn’t seen you yet. Well, then she was in for a surprise.

Zechs stepped onto the dance floor and you stopped dead in your tracks. Your hand came to cover your mouth as it fell open, and you stared at him in wonder. Wow. That costume looked absolutely stunning on him. He stopped too when he saw you, and the two of you gazed at each other, until a small appreciative smile spread on his face. You lowered your hand away from your face and smiled back at him.

Noin stood at the edge of the dance floor, frozen with shock as she watched you and Zechs. You felt a bit bad for her, but had only eyes for your boyfriend. He looked amazing. The costume was perfect. Zechs was perfect.

You were about to move forward when a hand shackled around your upper arm. Shit! You had totally forgotten about the security guards. Your eyes widened in shock as the grip tightened until it was painful, and the guard started dragging you away forcefully. 

“Hey!” you exclaimed. “Let me go.”

“I don’t think so.”

It was the same burly guard from before, but now he wasn’t gentle anymore. He looked pretty pissed off. Relena gave you a smug smile when the guard dragged you past her. 

“Zechs!” you shouted. “I could use some help!”

But Zechs was already closing in on you, and he looked like he was ready for murder. He was quick to catch up with the security guard and stop him. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” he snapped at the guard, while grabbing your free arm.

“This lady is to be removed from this party, Sir,” the guard said. “She is not on the guest list and threatened the Vice Foreign Minister.”

“I did not!” you ground out. 

Zechs pulled you towards him and the guard was forced to let you go. You huddled against your boyfriend’s broad chest, carefully covering the forming bruise on your upper arm with your hand. If Zechs saw, he surely would go on rampage. 

“What’s the meaning of this?” Relena came walking up towards you, seemingly all innocence.

Zechs pinned her with a frosty glare. “Don’t try to fool me, Relena.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Relena said stubbornly. 

The guard stepped away, noticing it was better to get more space between him and the pissed off ex-Prince. 

“Yes, you do!” Zechs snapped. “I didn’t think you would be capable of such foolish, not to mention childish, behavior!”

“Milliardo,” she tried, an embarrassed blush staining her cheeks. 

A small crowd had started to gather around you and it was clear that she was trying to save her appearance. You decided not to comment. You didn’t want her to have another reason to hate you. Instead, you let Zechs deal with it. 

“Don’t call me that,” Zechs told her. “I don’t understand why you don’t accept the facts as they are.”

Relena scoffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I don’t have to take this from you.”

“No, you don’t,” Zechs agreed. “But that does mean I don’t want to see you until you learn to accept -Y/N-.”

Relena gaped at her brother in shock. You were a bit shocked too, because you had never thought that Zechs would choose you over his sister. But as soon as his arm slipped around your waist, a feeling of reassurance settled over you. He had just showed his sister that he was indeed very serious about you. You gazed up at him with adoring eyes and gave him a smile when he met your eyes. 

“Let’s go home,” he said, while reaching for your hand. 

He let you out of the ballroom and towards the mansion’s exit. 

“I’m sorry I was so late,” he apologized. “Apparently children don’t know how to read.”

“Oops.” You grinned at him.

“I didn’t know we had so many children living in our neighborhood,” he said dryly.

You grinned at the idea of him passing out candy to the trick-or-treating children. It was too adorable. 

“Zechs,” you said softly, once you were outside. 

“Hmm?” He gave you a questioning look.

You pulled him to a stop and slipped your arms around his waist. “Thank you.”

His arms encircled you and you snuggled into his comforting embrace. “You’re welcome.”

“It’s kinda sad that we didn’t get to dance,” you said with a pout.

He chuckled and took your hand in his, and you almost squealed with delight when he let you into a waltz. The music from the ballroom could be heard through the open balcony doors, and together you moved around the parking lot.

“Who needs a ballroom to dance in?”

You smiled at him, following his lead. “I love you, Zechs.”

He gave you a small smile in return. “I love you too.”

He whirled you around, and you felt utterly touched by his romantic streak, one he had only shown you. You blinked away the sudden tears and laughed. Zechs pulled you towards him for a kiss, and you threw your arms around his neck, kissing him back with vigor. 

“I knew you would make a great Prince Charming,” you told him with a mischievous smile as you pulled back.

He gave you a smug smirk. “That so?”

“No, not quite… More like Prince Sexy.” You grinned at him and took his hand. “How about we go and crash Duo’s party?”

“Sounds like a plan.” He pulled you along with him towards the car.

The issues with Relena could wait. You knew that Zechs would try to solve them, but for now they weren’t important. Right now, all that mattered was having some fun. 

“I’ll get you drunk of your ass so we can go and terrorize our neighborhood,” you joked as he started the car. “Drunk trick-or-treating!”

He chuckled and leaned over to press a kiss against your temple. “I’d rather see what you’re hiding under that dress.”

“Iew! You pervert!” You stuck out your tongue at him. “But I might reveal it… Later.”

He grinned and drove off. “I’ll hold you to that.”

You threw back you head and laughed heartily. The night couldn’t be any better…

**-x-x-x-**

**Author's Note:**

> I didn’t mean to make Relena such a brat. LOL. But someone had to be the victim. I wrote this a couple of years ago and back then I had a tendency to bend Relena’s character to suit my stories, and not always in a good way. Nowadays I’m much kinder to her, I guess. I grew up, LOL. XD
> 
> Please let me know what you think of this story! I’d love to hear from you! :)


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